A MONUMENTAL TRIBUTE: Notre Dame's WWI statue survived fire

When Notre Dame de Lourdes Church burned on May 11, 1982, nothing but a few treasured trinkets survived the great blaze — two candlesticks and three angels found in the rubble, and one stained glass window that was out for repair.

When Notre Dame de Lourdes Church burned on May 11, 1982, nothing but a few treasured trinkets survived the great blaze — two candlesticks and three angels found in the rubble, and one stained glass window that was out for repair.

It was a conflagration that few can forget, the biggest in city history since 1928.

Besides demolishing the grand and stunning structure that was built in the 1890s and dedicated in 1906, the fire also took blocks of tenement dwellings with it, leaving some 300 people homeless. It also destroyed several businesses and damaged others.

Roland Masse, a Notre Dame sexton for the last 24 years, recalled rushing inside the church that day for fire extinguishers and to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament from a sacristy tabernacle. Already, flames were coming through the ceiling, he said.

But, because of the strong northern wind that was blowing that day, one item eerily remained standing untouched: the imposing 25-foot bronze and granite Sacred Heart monument.

The monument has a replica of the Sacred Heart statue, a famed French statue depicting Jesus, at the top, overlooking an angel and a dying soldier.

As the fire raged, the monument stood at the front of the church and unbelievably escaped harm. It still stands today.

Of all the veterans monuments that The Herald News has highlighted over the past few months, this statue is quite possibly the largest.

The statue is not visible from Eastern Avenue. It stands in the same spot it always did, but when the new Notre Dame Church was built, the front was built so it faces Eastern Avenue. The statue is at the back of the church, accessible from St. Joseph Street, where many of the city’s residents might not notice it.

The Sacred Heart monument was dedicated in 1920 in memory of 22 parishioners of Notre Dame de Lourdes killed during World War I.

Masse — a church and city historian — said the Sacred Heart monument was paid for with funds raised over a two-year period by parishioners who were also veterans.

“In 1917, the parish sent 610 men into military service,” Masse said. “Twenty-two died between 1917 and 1918.”

At that time, there were 20,000 parishioners at Notre Dame. After those deaths, plans for a monument began on Jan. 8, 1919.

To fund such an expensive purchase, which was estimated at $15,000 for the bronze and granite work, parishioners decided to publish a monthly newspaper called “Le Clarion,” or “The Bugle Call” in English.

The French newspaper was sold for 10 cents an issue and also raised money by selling advertisements. The veterans also raised money by holding events and accepting donations.

Parishioners raised a total of $26,373. Lucien Gosselin, 36, of Manchester, N.H., was chosen as the sculptor.

He completed the work in Paris, where he had studied, and had only three months to do it. His work began on Feb. 2, 1920 and it was due to be finished on May 30, 1920. Upon completion, the monument was shipped to Fall River for assembly.

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Gosselin’s work consisted of the large bronze statue of the Blessed Sacrament, another bronze statue of an angel cradling an injured infantryman, and three plaques around the base of the structure.

A Mr. Savoie (his first name is unknown) was in charge of the stone work. He used Fall River granite for the base of the monument.

The total cost of the project came to $25,284: $10,250 for the sculpture, $5,174 for the granite and an additional $9,860 for other work done around the monument.

The Sacred Heart monument was built to resemble a similar one in Paris.

One one side of the statue is a bronze plaque for the Navy, and the other side depicts the Army.

“There was no Coast Guard or Air Force then,” Masse said.

At the back of the statue, a bronze plaque lists the names of 21 soldiers that perished in the war. The 22nd man’s name was not listed because he had previously enlisted with the Canadian Army. It also lists their dates of death and resting places — which are all overseas.

Masse said bodies were not sent home in those days.

During the monument’s 89-year history, it has never undergone repairs or refurbishment. It stands the same as it did then, except for a green patina over the bronze.